Another search begins as bike hits leopard at Aarey Colony

Vehicles inside Aarey. Environmentalists have been urging the state to impose speed restrictions inside the green zone and close internal roads at night. File pic/Anurag Ahire

Even as authorities mount round-the-clock efforts to trap the leopard behind a series of attacks on locals inside Aarey Milk Colony, a big cat was apparently hit by a two-wheeler on Tuesday. Forest officials are trying to trace the animal which might have sustained injuries.

The accident occurred around 7 pm on the Aarey Poultry Road leading to Lotus lake. Requesting anonymity, an Aarey resident said, "I have learnt that the leopard was crossing the road when it was hit by a bike. The injured leopard ran into the bushes."

Sources said officials from Thane Forest Department (Territorial) and volunteers who have set up camera traps inside Aarey visited the spot though they were unable to trace the leopard. Authorities are also scanning the visuals beamed by camera traps to gather more information about the big cat involved in the mishap.

This is not the first instance of an encounter between a biker and a leopard. In February, a full-grown leopard was seen limping after a motorcycle collided with it near Aarey Hospital. Then too, forest officials had been unable to track down the injured animal.

Environmentalists and wildlife conservationists have been urging the state government to impose speed restrictions inside Aarey and close all internal roads after sundown to prevent such accidents. Of late Aarey has been in the spotlight over leopard attacks. In the past 50 days, 7 people have been injured by what is believed to be one big cat. Authorities have set up cages and camera traps to capture the animal.

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When the leopard was hit by a bike inside Aarey